Refrigerating apparatus



Oct. 18, 1932.

J. B. BREEN 1,883,521

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 27, 1929 2 Lw INVENTOR Y WIM@ Vif/f1 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 18', 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN' B. BREEN, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO FRIGIDAIRE CORPORATION', 0l' DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE anrnxenaa'rnm .APPARATUS Application filed September 27, 1929. Serial lo. 395,587.

. This invention -relates torefri rating apparatus and especially to a type o refrigerating apparatus commonly referredto as a display case.

An object of the inventlon 1s to provlde a display case having a maximum of storage and dlsplay space for bulky food stuil' such as butter and cheese with a very economical but sufficient cooling means for lthe same.

Another object of the invention 1s to provide a mechanical cooling unit with. valves inside a display case having provlslon for 'very easy access tothe valves from the-exterior of the casing.

Further objects and advantages vof the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a cross section through a preferred form of the invention as applied to a display case;

Fig. 2 is a cross section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and j Fig. 3 is a rear view ofthe refrigerator cabinet in Figs. 1 and 2.

One of the problems in Stores wherein space is at a premium is the adequate storage and display of bulky food stuffs such as tub butter and cheese. y These manufactured dairy products do not need the low temperature that other foods such as fish and meat require. Therefore, their preservation in a state desirable for display and selling is a certain range of temperature such asthat between and 60 F. which is very desirable if not essential for their preservation in a suitable condition until sold. Accordingly it is one of the objects of this invention to previde a refrigerated storage space for the bulky tub butter and cheese in which a very economical cooling means is located which will supply the necessary refrigeration required.

It is also an object of this invention to provide means whereby the valves controlling the inletV and outlet of a refrigerant to or 50 from this cooling means may be readily'accessible from the exterior of the display case.

l By this ready accessible means, if it is necescase embodying the invention. A base 10 and lower walls 11 enclose preferably a storage compartment 12 insulated by means of an insulation 13 such as slabs of rock cork. This storage portion of com artment 12 has an inner lining 14 which o course is of a material such as porcelain coated steel which is easily cleaned. The ortion of the walls from the inner side of t e outer covering to the outer side of the inner lining are suitably sealed with a bituminous cement such as hydrolene. SuitableV insulated doors 15 swingingly hinged in a framework 16 provide ready access to?` the storage portion of the cabinet.

In the upper part o f the cabinet is the display portion or compartment 17. This display portion is surrounded by suitable insuatlon whenever practical and has transparent portions in the front and rear walls of the casing. As disclosed in the drawing the front and rear walls are preferably slo ing from the insulated top portion 19. The ont wall preferably has a large panel of glass 2O suitably sealed in a framework 21. The rear wall has a plurality of sliding doors 22 having glass panels 23 suitably sealed in the same. The sloping rear wall preferably branches into a horizontal portion 24 available as a counter or shelf for the convenience of the clerk waiting on customers.

A partition 25 separates the storage compartment 12 from the display compartment 17. This partition preferably has a fairly large opening 26 at the rear center edge. A

cooling unit is located in this opening 26 and has'portions extending into the display portion 17 and the storage portion 12 of the cabinet. This coolin unit is preferably composed of a single boiler or tank 27 and has depending ducts 28 extending through the opening 26 into the storage compartment 12.

This boiler and ducts are preferably of the Hooded Hoatl control type such as disclosed in the patent to R. Gr. Osborn, 1,556,708, issued October 13, 1925. If desired, suitable fins 29 may be attached to these ducts 28 to increase the refrigeration.

A suitable inlet valve 30 and outlet valve 31 for the refrigerant in the boiler 27 are located on theone end of this boiler. In case the refrigerant lines have to be shut off fr removal of the show ease from one part of the store to another or in case examination `or` repairs are necessary, these valves are made very accessible for such shutting oH of the refrigerant. .This is accomplished by having an easily removable door 32 in the rear. wall adjacent thez'valves on the cooling unit 27. This insulated. door 32 is preferably attached to the rearwall by any suitable fastening means such as the screws 33.

One or more openings 34 are provided in the front part of the partition 25 for the air circulation to pass from the storage compartment 12 to the display compartment 17. This opening 34 may extend for the major portion of the length of the cabinet. An upstanding projection 35 prevents the .hole 34 from being closed by food stuffs.

If desired, the refrigerant liquefying unit, which is preferably of thecompressor-condenser-receiver type such as disclosed in the patent to R. G. Osborn above referred to, may be located in the storage compartment 12 or may be located in the basementor other outof-the-way portion of the store. As the temperature in this cabinet has generally a different range than other refrigerators, such as meat counters, etc. in the store, one large refrigerant li uefying unit could be used to supply liqui refrigerant to the various show cases in conjunction witha two-temperature valve such as disclosed in the patent to H. W. Wolverton, 1,699,576, issued January 22, 1929.

It will be noted that the cabinet disclosed has a large truncated cone display portion especially suitable for tub size butter and cheese. Of course, small ackages -of butter and cheese could be placed) about these dairy products of larger bulk. A lower compartment 12 also has the adequate storage space for these large bulky objects or for a large quantity of small package goods. In spite of this large display case, one cooling unit is 'provided to adequately cool .the entire cabinet.

The warm'air descends over the cool surface of the tank 27, ducts 28, fins 29 and heat in the air is absorbed by these elements and directed to the liquid refrigerant in the interior of the cooling unit. Cold air passes through the storage compartment 12 and up through one or morev openings 34 in the front .1. A mechanically cooled refrigerator cabinet having an upper display compartment and a lower storage compartment, and a partition wall separating'said compartments, said wall having an opening provided therein, a compact, block-like coolingunit removably supported and disposed in said opening and having a. portion extending above said partition wall into said display compartment and another portion extending below said partition wall into said storage compartment, said opening being larger than the cooling unit, said cooling unit being adapted for installation as a unit.

2. A 'mechanically cooled refrigerator cabinet having an upper display compartment and a lower storage compartment, and a partition wall separating said compartments, said wall having an opening provided therein, a Hooded cooling unit removably supported and disposed in said openin and having a portion extending into one o said compartments, said opening being larger than the cooling unit, said Hooded cooling unit being adapted for installation and removal as a unit.

3. A mechanically' cooled refrigerator cabinet having an upper display compartment and a lower storage compartment, a partition wall separating said compartments, said wall having openings therein, a Hooded unitary cooling unit including a tank removably supported in said display lcompartlment above one of the openings in said partition wall and having ducts 'attached thereto extending through said last mentioned opening into said storage compartment, said opening being larger than the cooling unit.

said Hooded cooling unit being adapted for installation and removal as a unit.

4. A mechanically cooled refrigerator cabinet having an upper display compartment and a lower storage compartment, an insulated partition wall separating said compartinents, said wall having openings therein,v a cooling tank supported in said display compartment above one of the openings in said partition wall and having ducts attached thereto extending through said last men-l tioned opening into said storage compartment, valves for controlling the How of re-V frrgerant to and from said tank, said valves being carried by said tank, said cabinet being provided with an opening leading from the exterior of the cabinet to said last mentioned opening, and readily removable closure means for said opening in the cabinet.

5. A mechanically cooled refrigerator cabinet having an upper display compartment and a lower storage compartment, a partition wall separating said compartments, said partition wall having openings adjacent the front and rear portions of the cabinet, and a unitary cooling unit removably supported and disposed within one of said openings, having a portion extending above said partition wall into said display compartment and another portion below said partition wall into said storage compartment, said opening being larger than the cooling unit,"

said cooling unit being adapted for installation and removal as a unit.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature.

JOHN B. BREEN. 

